Sound-producing device



' Dec. 1924 1,520,709

L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed Aug. 7, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .ZMJ. rama z I BYC' ATTORNEY Dec. 1924. 1,520,709

L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed Aug. 7, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR jaw] 6271622262729 J25; ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 39, 1924,

urrsn srrss LEO J. GRUIBIVIAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICE.

Application filed August 7, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Leo J GRUBMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Producing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sound producing devices-for toys and particularly to a device of that type which is incorporated within the body of a doll for the purpose of simulating an infant cry such as the exclamation Ma-Ma.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present improvements to provide a sound producing device of the above character in which the several parts controlling the emission of the sound in producing the articulation of the word syllables are of simple and substantial construction so that, although the doll or toy may be subjected to abusive handling, the parts of the device are not likely to be damaged to such extent as to render the device inoperative.

One of the prominent features of this in vention resides in the provision of a tubular movably supported air expelling member whereby air is expelled under pressure through a sound producing reed, and a sound receiving chamber having a wall adapted to be telescopically received within the tubular expelling member, the wall of said expelling member being provided with sound emission control openings therein through which the sound is emitted into said sound receiving chamber in the movement of the expelling member in one direction.

It is another object of my invention to materially simplify the form and construction of the air expelling member and movable sound control means and to so arrange and support the same for operative movement and the proper interrupted emission of the sounds that the perfect articulation of the word syllables is assured under all. conditions of use.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved sound controlling device and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing wherein I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of the Serial No. 656,167.

invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a preferred embodiment of my present improvements showing the air expelling member at the end of its operating movement;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the device in inverted position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure t is an end elevation;

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the device;

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the latter construction; and

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

My present disclosure relates more particularly to that type of sound producing device in which the air is expelled from a chamber through a sound producing reed by a gravity movable piston or plunger, as distinguished from the bellows type wherein the air expelling member or head is fixed to one end of a collapsible flexible wall or mem brane. The several parts which function to produce the desired sounds are enclosed within an outer drum or casing 55, preferably, though not necessarily, formed of heavy cardboard. One end of this casing is closed by means of the sheet metal head 6 having a marginal flange frictionally en gaging the outer face of the casing wall.

Within the casing 5 and concentrically spaced from the wall thereof a shell 7, also preferably of sheet metal is arranged. This shell at one of its ends is open and the wall thereof is formed with a horizontal annular flange or shoulder 8 connecting the body of the shell with a channelled or U-shaped rim 9 which receives the other end edge of the casing wall, the inner and outer side portions of said rim having tight frictional engagenient against the inner and outer faces of the casing wall. The other end of the shell 7 is closed by the wall 10, a sound producing reed 11 of any conventional form being mounted upon the inner face of said wall over the aperture 12 therein. Intermediate of its ends the body wall of the shell 7 is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced sound emission openings lVithin the shell 7 a heavy metal air expelling member 14 is arranged. This air expelling member is of tubular form, open at one of its ends and closed at its other end by the wall 15 to which a cup leather 16 is securely fixed by means of the plate 17 and rivet 18. The marginal flange of this cup leather has frictional sliding contact with the inner surface of the shell 7. Thus a substantially air tight barrier is produced between one side of the member 14 and the open end of the shell 7. The wall of the tubular member 14 is spaced from the wall of the shell 7 only sufliciently to avoid frictional contact therewith, and said wall adjacent the open end of the tubular air expellin member is provided with circumferentlally spaced openings 19 therein.

In the open end of the shell 7 a sleeve 20 is arranged, the wall of said sleeve being disposed in spaced concentric relation with the wall of the shell 7. The inner end of said sleeve is closed by the wall 21, and at its outer end the sleeve wall is formed'with a laterally disposed angular flange 22 which has a tight frictional fit within the inner wall of the channeled rim 9 on the end of the shell 7. The closed end 21 of the sleeve 20 is positioned inwardly of the series of openings 13 in the shell wall and the wall of said sleeve is provided with circumferentially spaced openings 23 corresponding in number to the openings 19 in the wall of the tubular air expelling member 14.

The air expelling member 14 is sufliciently heavy to move freely by gravity into one end of the shell 7 and as this member moves to the position seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, air is drawn into one end of the shell through the openings 23 and 13 and the reed aperture 12.

VVhenthe device is inverted to the position seen in Figure 1, as the air expelling member starts to move downwardly with relation to the sleeve 20, the air beneath said member is expelled past the reed 11, thereby producing sound which is emitted into the space between the shell 7 and the wall of the casing 5. The sound waves first escape in small volume from this space through the openings 13 and between the wall of the shell and the wall of the member 14 and are emitted through coinciding openings 19 and 23 into the sleeve 20 in simulation of the spoken pronunciation of the letter m. As the member 14 continues its downward movement, when the openings, 19 therein register with the openings 13 of the shell wall, the sound waves are emitted in greater volume and simulate the pronunciation of the spoken letter a. lVhen the openings 19 pass below the openings 13 and the end portion of the'wall of the member 14 is positioned over the latter openings, the volume of sound emitted is again reduced to simulate the pronunciation of the letter m for a second time and when the member 14 finally moves to a position entirely below the openings 13, there will be a prolonged sounding of the final vowel letter a. The interior of the sleeve 20 provides a sound receiving and amplifying chamber of constant definite area'as in my Patent No. 1,490,170, issued April 15, 1924, the wall of said sleeve acting as a resonator. The controlled emission of the sounds produced by the expulsion of the air past the reed 11 results in a very realistic simulation of the spoken articulation of the word syllables, which are amplified and rendered very distinctly audible in their passage through the sleeve 20. By merely again inverting the device or the toy within which it is con tained, the chamber between the piston or expelling member 14 and the end wall of the shell may be again filled with air for the repeated operation of the device in the manner above explained. V

In Figures 5 to 8 inclusive of the drawings I have illustrated another construction which is perhaps simpler and less expensive than the embodiment of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this modified construction the inner shell 7 above referred to is dispensed with and the sound emission openings 13 are formed in the wall of the casing or housing within which the hollow air expelling member 14 is mounted for reciproeating movement. In this instance, however, a head 25 is fitted into the open end of said member and is provided with marginal means for frictionally engaging and clamping one edge of a packing ring or gasket 26 which has frictional sliding contact with the inner face of the wall of the casing 5. The space between the outer side of the head 25 and one end of said casing constitutes the air receiving chamber 20, while the space between the inner side of said head and the other closed end of the member 14 consti tutes a sound chamber 27. The head 25 is provided with an opening 25 in the wall thereof over the outer side of which the free end of the vibratory sound producing element 11 is. disposed. The circumferential wall of the sound chamber 27 is provided with suitably spaced openings 19 therein which are adapted to co-operate with the openings 13 in thewall of the casing 5 and control the articulated emission of the sound through the latter openings in the jects outwardly beyond said casing wall, to

a cylindrical skirt 31' which is positioned in spaced parallel relation to the wall of the casing 5. The free circumferential edge of the skirt wall is formed with an annular bead 32 which is closely held by the inherent resiliency of the metal in contact against the peripheral surface of the casing wall whereby the openings 13 in said wall communicate with the sound receiving chamber which is thus formed between the casing wall and the wall of the skirt 31 of the closure head. The flange 30 of this head is provided with spaced apertures through which the articulated sound is finally emitted.

From the above, the manner of operation of this form of the device will be readily understood. Thus, when the member let is in the position seen in Figure 6 and the de vice is then inverted, said member moves by gravity into the opposite end of the casing and during such movement expels the air from the chamber 20, causing the same to be forced under pressure through the opening 25 past the element 11 wherebv sound is produced. In the initial operation of the gravity movement of the member 14, the sound passes from the chamber 27 through openings 19 between the wall of said member and the wall of the casing 5 in relatively small volume, and hence through the openings 13, the chamber 33 and emission apertures and simulates the spoken pronunciation of the letter m. IVhen the first of the openings 19 registers with the openings 13, the sound is emitted in larger volume and simulates the spoken pronunciation of the letter a, while as the solid portion of the wall of the member 1% between the spaced openin s 19 passes the openings 13 the letter 111" is again sounded and when the other relatively longer openings 19 register with the openings 13 there will be the prolonged sounding of the final vowel letter a until the member 14 comes to a final position of rest as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. It will be appreciated that this alternative construction which consists of very few simply formed elements can be manufactured very cheaply.

In the present illustrated embodiments of the invention, I have disclosed an arrangement and correlation of the several parts which it is believed will produce the most satisfactory results in practice. It will be seen that the several individual elements are of simple and substantial construction, and the manner of their assemblage and arrangement within the outer drum or casing provides a device of this character having great durability so that it will withstand severe shocks and jars without serious damage or injury to the several'operating parts which would impair their proper functional operation. However, it is possible that the essential features of my present disclosure might also be incorporated in other alternative constructions and it is accordingly to be understood that I reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a sound producing device, an air receiving chamber, a tubular air expelling member operating in said chamber, sound producing means through which air is forced in the movement of said member in one direction, a sound receiving chamber having a wall adapted to telescope Within said tubular air expelling member in the movement of the latter in the opposite direction, the walls of said air chamber and expelling member being provided with openings therein controlling the emission of sound into said sound receiving chamber in the air expelling movement of said memher.

2. In a sound producing device, an air receiving chamber, a tubular air expelling member operating in said chamber, a sound receiving chamber nested within one end of the air receiving chamber and having its wall spaced concentrically from the wall of the latter chamber and adapted to telescope within said tubular air expelling member in the movement of the latter in one direction, sound producing means through which the air is expelled in the movement of said member in the other direction, and the wall of said air expelling member and the wall of said air chamber having coacting means controlling the emission of sound into the sound receiving chamber in the air expelling movement of said member.

3. In a sound producing device, an outer casing, a shell positioned within said casing and fixed to one end thereof, the latter end of said shell being open, a sound producing reed mounted on the other end of said shell, an air expelling member mounted within said shell for gravity movement to expel air tl'ierefrom through the sound producing reed in its movement in one direction, and said air expelling member and the Wall "of said shell having coacting means controlling the emission of sound from the space be tween the outer casing and said shell through the open end of the shell.

4;. In a sound producing device, an outer casing, an air receiving chamber enclosed within said casing having a wall spaced from the casing wall, an air expelling mem ber slidable within said chamber and constrained by the wall thereof against displacement out of coinciding axial relation with said chamber, sound producing means through which air is expelled in the movement of said member in one direction into the space between the wall of said chamber and the outer casing, and said chamber wall and the air expelling member having coacting means controlling the emission of sound from said space in the air expelling movement of said member.

5. In a sound producing device, an outer casing, a shell enclosed within said casing in spaced concentric relation to the wall thereof and having a rim on one end frictionally engaged over one end edge of the casing wall, a sound producing reed mounted upon the other end of said shell, an air expellingmember axially movable within the shell to force the air therefrom in its movement in one direction through the reed into the space between said shell and the casing wall, and said member and the wall of said shell having coacting sound emission controlling means operative in the air expelling move ment of said member to vary the character of the emitted sound. 7

6. In a sound producing device, an outer casing, an air receiving chamber within said casing and concentrically spaced from the wall thereof, the wall of said chamber being provided at one end with means for frictional clamping engagement over the end of the casing wall, a sound receiving chamber having a wall positioned within the latter end of the air receiving chamber and provided with means on one of its ends to frictionally engage in the wall of the latter chamber, a sound producing reed, a tubular air expelling member axially movable in said air receiving chamber to expel airtherefrom in its movement in-one direction through the sound producing reed, said tubular member in its movement in the opposite direction telescopically receiving the wall of said sound receiving chamber, said latter wall and the Wall of said tubular member having openings therein controlling the emission of sound in the air expelling movement of said 7 member into said sound receiving chamber.

7. In a sound producing device, an outer casing having an air receiving chamber therein, a gravity movable air expelling member mounted in said chamber, said memher being of tubular form, sound producing means through which the air is expelled, a wall enclosed wlthin one end of said chamber and providing a sound receiving chamber, said wall having openings therein, 7

and said tubular member provided with means coacting with means on the Wall of said air chamber to control the emission of sound into said sound receiving chamber said sound receiving chamber in its move- 7 ment in the opposite direction.

8. In a casing having a sound producing device, an air receiving chamber therein and emission openings in the casing wall, an air expelling member mounted for reciprocating movement within said casing, sound produc ing means through which the air is expelled from said chamber in the movement of said member in one direction, and said member being provided with means to coact with the emission openings in the wall of said casmg during such air expelling movement of said member and elfect the articulated emission of the sound through the latter openings.

9. In a sound producing device, a casing open at one end and having an air receiving chamber therein, an air expelling member having reciprocating gravity movement in said casing, a fixed sound directing wall within said casing in spaced relation to the open end thereof, sound producing means through which the air is expelled from said chamber in the movement of said member in one direction, and said member and the wall of said casing having coacting means operative in the movement of said member in one direction to control the emission of sound into the'space between said fixed wall and the open end of the casing.

10. In a sound producing device, a cas ing open at one end and having an air receiving chamber therein, a tubular air expelling member mounted in said casing for gravity reciprocating movement, sound producing means through which the air is expelled from said chamber, a fixed sound di recting wall arranged within the casing in spaced relation to its open end and disposed in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of said expelling member, said wall being received within the tubular expelling member in the movement of the latter in one direction and said tubular member and the casing wall having coacting means operative in the movement of said expelling member in the opposite direction to control the emission of sound into the space between said fixed wall and the open end of the casing.

In testimony that. I

claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

LEO J. GRUBMAN. 

